Can’t believe I am jumping in here because I try to make this whole horse business my stress-free zone…but this entire thread makes me sad on so many levels with the personal insults being hurled at people whom I have never met but whose posts I read and feel how committed they are to their horses, the entire sport, and especially bringing along newbies…especially when the insults are being delivered by others whose excellent advice and support I also love to read. So sad and so not in line with the rose-colored glasses I have on.
I’m the new ammy who works hard to get better like everyone else. I have a horse whom I ADORE, who works hard and tolerates all of my mistakes while working hard with my trainer at the same time, and whose whinneys and interactions make so many cares disappear for a period of time. Horse and I are in full training, and he’s well taken care of, lacking nothing. I’m not rich but I can afford to do it like this because I work hard to make it a priority.
I read every book I can get my hands on, watch tons of videos, talk to as many people as will talk to me and share their knowledge, post videos here to get even more feedback, go to as many shows as I can, from tiny to Del Mar, go to as many clinics as I can (audit OR ride if appropriate), talk to my trainer until I’m sure I’ve overstayed my welcome, watch other lessons, etc., and never blame my horse for anything. I’ve become very humbled by what it appears to take to succeed as a professional in this business…to ride at the upper levels…etc. it isn’t my aspiration. My aspiration is to stay safe, have FUN, LEARN, be the best horse mom I can be, and, yes, improve as much as I can and one day be able to see a video of me riding and be proud of how I look. I want to do it the RIGHT way and on a horse I love. Yes, it’s not everyone’s goal but I don’t really care about how others’ goals affect MINE.
And guess what? Yes, I’m patting myself on the back because I learned from all of you what seems to be important, and what seems to work the best. So much of what I have learned has come from THIS BOARD and the people on it who take the time to listen and watch a d encourage me, a beginner who has ZERO to offer them for contributing their own time and experience. Merrygoround’s signature line has become a staple in my riding life…those words echo deeply in my heart. I can only fix myself. Meupatdoes’ email about Fear Bird changed my riding FOREVER. And I gladly would have paid far more than $40 for that advice. Netg has become a good friend and suffers through my incessant rambling about my horse. Several others have taken so much time to PM me about saddles, etc.
AND, I grew up 50% in Germany and I rode some REALLY nice horses there. But I also lived there, had German friends, lived in a German village, etc. people are honest-stating “your elbows are straight and need to be bent” is direct. Saying “you aren’t going to be able to ride and I am above discussing elbow position” ISN’T direct and isn’t helpful UNLESS you’ve been teaching that person forever about elbow position. And if you think they won’t ever get it and you are tired of wasting your skill? FIRE THEM as a client. But really, are you above saying it in a clinic for an hour, especially if you are being PAID to do so AND your previous blog posts have been about how you don’t have the money to do what you really want to do???
I AM the amateur who will gladly pay for my trainer to have additional training on my horse because I love to watch and learn from any experience. Further, I certainly would support my trainer, even financially as much as I could, in getting additional training, although I certainly don’t see any gaps. my trainer works harder than ANYONE I know and always has the interests of the riders and horses at heart. never trainer’s own agenda. Horse is 14 and will never go GP and I don’t care!! What’s wrong with that?? Nothing, CHS would probably say, but then I am a waste of her skill. But that’s sad…because I WOULD do the homework, I WOULD probably benefit if she is as good as SHE says she is, and any time in the saddle with my boy is great fun for me. And, despite trainer’s best efforts, I still screw up royally on a daily basis…and seem to still learn things from others that trainer says to me in 20 different ways…and maybe that clinician’s words just made it all sink in BECAUSE of what my trainer has taught me all along…
Well, thanks for saving me the money…I won’t be attending any clinics with CHS unless my trainer advises me otherwise (I always listen to my trainer, always). And that’s an auditing fee that, while small, won’t be added to the checking account.
I found this latest blog kind of “meh,” but reading prior blogs have given me clearer insight into how this person thinks…and this representation isn’t someone I want to get advice from.
I’m not going to go into specifics, but just no.
Oh-and I have zero problem with anyone stating who they will and won’t teach. But maybe do it without such airs, hmm? Just a thought.
Oh and one more-I went to top school for my program, trained in top institutions (“the best of the best”), and yes, I teach/mentor people whom others could teach. Because I LIKE TO.
I knew I shouldn’t have read this whole thread. It makes me sad. Stop fighting.
For 7 years, I worked a crazy schedule doing horses and a full-time job–much like what meup described her schedule as being. It sucked the fun right out of horses, so now I do my full-time job and just work my own horses; no boarders, no lessons, and I’m much happier. I was packing too much into every day/week/month and so on and had to make a change. The post in which she described her schedule sounds close to where I was 3 years ago, and it doesn’t sound happy, but I could be inferring something that isn’t there.